AFC Notes: Broncos, Chiefs, Raiders

Broncos

• According to Aaron Wilson, the Broncos worked out LB Chris Orr.

Chiefs

Chiefs’ DT Derrick Nnadi is excited for DT Jarran Reed to learn the team’s system, as he believes that pass-rushing is a group effort.

“At the end of the day, we’ve got to do our job,” Nnadi said, via ChiefsWire.com. “We’ve got to make sure that we’re controlled, we’ve got great interior push to make sure the quarterback doesn’t have a step up lane and allow our edge rushers to get their layups. At the end of the day, it takes all four of us to make this D-line a dominant D-line. The faster he learns this, the quicker he can produce. He’s my teammate at the end of the day, so if he’s better, we’re (all) better.”

Raiders

The Raiders had high expectations for WRs Henry Ruggs and Bryan Edwards last year. But it can be tough for rookie wideouts to make an instant impact and both players went through a rocky first year. Fueled partly by outside criticism and from a challenge by the team, Ruggs has come in his second season 13 pounds heavier and hopefully stronger. Mentally, he’s ahead of where he was last year, too. 

“Yesterday, he comes up to me and is like, ‘Hey, next time you give me that look, I’m going to set him up. Throw him by, snap across his face and I’ll be there for you,’” Raiders QB Derek Carr said via the Athletic’s Vic Tafur. “He did exactly what he said. It was a big play. When he’s doing that, it shows me one, that he’s confident, shows me two, that mentally he understands what the coverage is because our defense is really tough. They show the same look and play something else. For him to understand, ‘Oh, here it is. This is that look,’ and do the right thing, it shows me that he’s getting it. It’s good.”

Edwards opened the season as the Week 1 starter but lost that job after he was injured and fell behind. So far he’s been healthy and showcasing the potential that has Carr and HC Jon Gruden making lofty comparisons to players like Terrell Owens and Davante Adams. 

“[He can] just move through the air, [Edwards and Adams’} body control is just impressive,” Carr said. “I wish I could do that. It’d be nice to be able to catch a football like that. I think also you see his strong hands. Sometimes he’ll catch a ball and he’s so strong that he doesn’t bring it into the body where they can punch it out, he’ll just hold it away from them. Not many guys can do that, but he can.”

• Raiders’ DB coach Ron Milus said of S Johnathan Abram: “I can say this for John, John’s done everything we’ve asked him to do. He dropped some weight and turned the volume down, just a little bit….you’re asking me, I think John’s going to have a great year.” (Paul Gutierrez)
• Raiders’ OL coach Tom Cable commented on first-round pick Alex Leatherwood while throwing shade at former RT Trent Brown: “What we were looking for was a guy that would play every down at right tackle for us. And be available all the time. Someone who was really highly, highly competitive.” (Vincent Bonsignore)